A group of Jewish civil servants declared today in a statement in the Arab press in Morocco that they did not recognize the Council of Moroccan Jewish Communities and that they planned to organize their own association in a few weeks.
The Jewish civil servants had previously fought the Council when it held a national conference on March 19 to discuss steps to improve the situation of the Jews of Morocco. They specifically opposed a resolution adopted at the conference asking the Moroccan Government to organize Moroccan Jewry into a community separate from that of the Moslem community but one which would have the same rights as the Moslems.
The civil servants group was reported to have the support of Dr. Leon Benzaquen, a former Minister in the Moroccan Government. Dr. Benzaquen was received today by King Hassan II.
The civil servants declared that they proposed to organize their own congress to counterbalance the Council, which they contended did not have the right to speak about the future of Moroccan Jewry, and “in order that the principles of integration may prevail over those of separatism. ” They argued that their congress would bring together Jews and Moslems not only from Morocco but also from abroad.
Leaders of the Council were reported to consider Dr. Benzaquen’s ideas as “assimilationist” and therefore not surprised at his support of the Jewish civil servants group.
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